The present invention is directed to the use of high intensity particulates as flavorants and/or sweeteners. In particular, the present invention is directed to the use of soluble particulates combined in such a manner so as to optimize the organoleptic characteristics, i.e. flavor and/or sweetness of the material.
Over the years, considerable effort has been directed to improving the taste of beverages. In this regard, various powdered drink mixes have become widely accepted by the consumer as a means for flavoring liquids. Most drink mix powders include granular sucrose, flavoring agents and other materials such as acidulants.
More recently, artificial sweeteners have been proposed to replace the sugar portion of drink mixes and provide lower calorie beverages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,833 discloses sugar-free, dry beverage mixes which include a uniform dispersion of a water-soluble food acid, a flavor and a flow conditioner combined with maltodextrin.
Two common problems associated with most powdered drink mixes have been poor solubility of the powdered mix and inadequate dispersal of the flavor/sweetener in the target liquid. As a result, most beverages prepared with granular mixes have provided at best only adequate flavor and/or sweetness impact.
The rapid solubility of cotton candy made from sucrose is known by all who have eaten it. This desirable property has not gone unnoticed by those seeking to flavor and/or sweeten beverages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,671 discloses a blanket spun from a mixture of sucrose and a humectant encasing dry food particles to flavor beverages. Unlike typical powder drink mixes, most of the sugar is in the form of spun filaments which enrobe the beverage mix ingredients. The '671 patent, however, fails to address the problem of adequately dispersing the remaining drink mix ingredients which are merely deposited on the spun blanket and thus maintain their inherent physical properties.
In spite of the above-described efforts, improvements in flavoring and/or sweetening liquids are still sought. The advantageous properties of rapid solubility and colloidal-like dispersability achieved by melt spinning have yet to be applied to many beverage ingredients. For example, several high intensity sweeteners cannot withstand the temperatures heretofore thought to be necessary for melt spinning.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide methods and compositions which provide rapidly soluble high intensity particulates which uniformly disperse in the target liquid and provide high flavor impact.
It is a further object of the present invention to include relatively heat sensitive materials, such as high intensity sweeteners, in a rapidly soluble medium without deleteriously effecting the heat sensitive materials.